Fire-fighting system.



. v H. T. HALL.

' v FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1913' I I 1,109,833,- I Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I My: ZWM/ M IMI I after/"111' H. T. HALL.

FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.'22, 1913.

1,109,833, Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EL'gTZ HIRAM '1. HALL, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FIRE-FIGHTING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Application filed March 22, 1913.

Serial N 0. 756,174.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM T. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Fighting Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a system for fire fighting for installation on street corners or similar locations, the objects of the invention being to produce such a system as can be put into operation and instantly used by any person without the necessity for ringing in an alarm to a central station and waiting for the lire apparatus to arrive. Also a system which can be used as a single unit by electrically coupling up a number of separate hydrant units and having them all cooperate to throw their water from any one desired hydrant, or in which each separate hydrant can be used by itself without interfering in any Way with the operation of the others. Also a system which is simple and eflicient in operation, and which needs no expensive force of men for its upkeep or operation, and whichwill need very little care or attention either when in operation or not in use.

These objects I accomplish by means of the particular adaptation and arrangements of the water mains, electrical circuits, and other parts thereof, as will more fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and which is shown in the drawings, in whichi Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a complete unit of four hydrants as installed on the four corners of a city block. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation showing the installation and power plant on any one of these corners. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation' of a solenoid-operated water gatevalve.

On the drawings, similar numerals refer tothe same parts on the several views.

In the diagrammatic view shown in Fig. 1, the water piping is represented by heavy lines, and the-electrical circuits by light lines.

Referring now more particularly to the same, A, B, C, and D represent four separate corner units, each one having a motor E, F, G,-and H, operating centrifugal pumps I, J, K, and L, respectively, the said pumps operatingbetween water main connections 1, 2, 3, and 4, and hose connections 5, 6, 7, and 8 respectively. Between each pump and the water main is a solenoid-operated water gate-valve 9, 10, 11, and 12, such as is shown in'Fig. 3, while between the pumps and their respective hydrants are short water connections 13, having similar solenoid operated valves 14, 15, 16, and 17 therein, the said water connections 13 being commonly connected to an auxiliary water main 18 running around the entire block, and be-. ing common to all the units A, B, C and D. Between the said water connections and the hydrants are solenoid-operated water gatevalves 19, 20,- 21, and 22 respectively. Each of the motors E, F, G, and H has a switch 23 operated by a relay 24, connecting the said motors with a main source of power 25, made common to all the said motors by the wires 26.

In a controller box 27 located with the hose container 28 on each corner are a plurality of switches 29, hand 0perated,'there being one of these switches for each hydrant which the system controls. 4 This set of switches is common to all the separate units, and each operates the mechanism of itself or any of the others as hereinafter set forth, and all are identical in construction'and operation, he'nce one only will be described herein.

The power necessary for the operation of the various solenoid valves may be the same as that for the motors, or may be a separate source such as 30 as shown, this latter methodnecessitating less wiring than the foriner; and therefore preferable on account of its simplicity.

The circuits closed in the operation of this system is as follows: Suppose thescene of the fire which 'is to be extinguished is in the vicinity of unit A. The person who has Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

discovered the said fire opens the controller box' 27, and closes the switch 31, the same being preferably labeled to identify it with the unit which it controls. (At the same time the hose 32 in the container 28 should be pulled outready for use, the hose being normally connected with the water mains). Now it will be seen that when the switch 31 is closed, two contacts are made. In one,it

will be seen that the circuit passes from the battery 30 through the switch 31 through the relay 33, through the soleno1d-valve9 and through the relay 24. This, it will be seen, opens the valve 9 by a mechanism hereinafter described, allowing the water to pass from the mains to the pump I, and also closes the switch 23, thus causing the motor E to turn. With the other contact, it will be seen that the current passes from the battery, through the switch 31, through the wire 34, thus operating the solenoid valve 19, thus permitting the flow of water to the hydrant. It will be seen that the relay.33 is not now caused to operate, as the armature 35 of the same is not in circuit, being on an open circuit. Thus it will be seen that the throwing of switch 31 startsthe unit A to working.

Should it be found that the fire is too big for the stream of water which can be pumped by the one motor E, switch 36 is closed, bringing into operation unit B, by the following means: On closing this switch, two contacts are made, the current passing from the battery 30 through the conductor 37, through the relay 38, through the solenoid valve 10, opening the same, through the relay 24 of the motor F, starting the same. The current also passes through the second contact made by the switch 36, through the conductor 39 t0 the armature of the relay 38, thus actuating the same, and

causing the solenoid valve 15 to operate, thus opening the water connection 13 and permitting the water pumped by the pump J to flow through the auxiliary main 18. Now it will also be seen that conductor 39 is also connected with the armature 35 of permitting the current to pass therethrough to operate the solenoid valve 14 and open the water connection or by-pass 13 of unit A, thus allowing the water which is being now pumped by unit B to pass therethrough, and out at the hydrant along with the water being pumped by the motor of unit A.

The operation and action of switches 40 and 41 operating and controlling units C and D respectively, is substantially the same as that described for the switch 36 and unit B, each one opening such valves and makes such switch connections as will permit the water to be pumped by these-units C and D and passed through the auxiliary main 18 and out through the hydrant of unit A. The same operation may be done at each of the separate units A, B, C, and D with the same results, each of the sets of switches at these units operatin identically, and produces the same resu ts with the remaining units.

If desired, any preferable and simple method may be employed for interlocking the switches 31, 36, 40, and 41 one with the other, so that no one switch can be closed without closing the preceding one in the rotation in which they are arranged to work, thus doing away with any possibility of burning out any of the motors or otherwise deranging any part of the system.

Of course it will be obviousthat more units may be controlled from one unit if so desired, but for ordinary uses one set of these units composed of four street-corner hydrants and the apparatus connected therewith Will be all that can be well and practically controlled.

Referring now more particularly to the type of apparatus as preferably used in connection with my improved system, as shown in Fig. 2, all the working parts of any of the units are placed beneath the sidewalk in a cement-lined chamber 42, access being had thereto for the purposes of inspection etc.,

through a manhole 43 in the said sidewalk, the only part of the apparatus showing above the ground being the hose container 28 and the controller box 27, thus protecting the same from weather etc., and making it practically fool-proof.

Referring now to the type of solenoid valve used for operating the gates in the water mains, Fig. 3 shows any one of the several valves, all being the same in construction and operation. In the same, 44 represents the solenoid, attached to a piston-valve 45 adapted to slide in a valve-box 45, having inlet water-port 46 therein, outlet port 47 leading therefrom, and ports 48 and 49 leading from the valve-chamber into a cylinder 50, in which runs a piston 51, this piston being suitably connected with a gate 52 in the valve 53 in the pipe line. The operation of the same is as follows: Normally the piston-valve 45 is seated so that the water inlet 46which is connected with the city Water mains or other water pressure source is in open communication with port 48, thus keeping the said water pressure against the piston 51, and so keeping the gate 52 closed. When the current flows through the solenoid 44 and actuates the same, the piston-valve 45 is pulled in, and the water then flows through port 49 to the other side of the piston 51, thus causing the said gate 52 to open, at the same time the water which was in the cylinder 50 passing out back through port 48 and through the outlet port 47 being forced therethrough by,the pressure of the water against the opposite head of the piston 51. Thus it will be seen that I have invented such a system as will substantially fulfil the claims made thereon.

While not shown, if desired an alarm system, to operate when any one of the switches at any unit is thrown in, may be installed, to alarm in any desired location in the city, building, or elsewhere, to'notify a fire-fighting force, or those in .charge of a building, etc., that one of the units in the system has been turned, the number of the unit being designated on the alarm, similar to those used on elevators or in hotels for call-service. The cellar or chamber 42 in which the apparatus is located is preferably sloped down at one corner, and a connection of some kind made at that point with the sewers, so asto drain off any water which -where the operating mechanism may be located, or may be adapted for installation on large ships, thus insuring instantaneous fire protection to any part of the ship.

While I. have described and shown herein the present and preferred embodiment of my invention, stil in practice such deviations from such'detail may be made as do not depart from the spirit of the invention. Havmg thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

cated at each of said units whereby and from 1. A fire-fighting system, comprising a pluralitg of suitably spaced pumfping units, means or operating any one o the same independently or in combination with the remainder thereof, and suitable means 10- which the operatin 'means of any or all of the said units may e actuated, as set forth. 2. A fire-fighting system, com rising a plurality of power operated and e ectrically controlled water pumping units connected with a suitable water supply, and means at each and every unit for actuating the said electric controlling means at the said unit and at allother units if desired.

3. A fire fighting system comprising a plurality of suitably disposed power-operated pumping units connected independently with a suitable water supply, an endless auxiliary water main connecting all the said units, water gate-valves suitablylocated on and between the said water supply, pumps, and auxiliar main, electrical operating means on said valves, and hand-operated means for actuating said operating means, said hand-operating means being located at each of the said units and capable of controlling from any of the same the operation of the electrical operating means on any or all of the said units, as and for the purpose set forth. 1

4. In a fire fighting system in combination, an endless auxiliary water main, a plurality of pumping units arranged along said main and adapted to pump into the same, motors for operating said units, valves intermediate said units and said auxiliary main, and hand controlled electrical means whereby the operator at any one unit may start said unit and thereafter any or all of the other units, said means being adapted to open the valve between the first unit started and the auxiliary main as well as the valve between any additional unit and the auxiliary main upon the starting of such additional unit.

In testimon whereof I afiix-my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

HIRAM T. HALL;

Witnesses:

FRANK H. CARTER, F. P. Sonnonnnn. 

